The present invention generally relates to an automobile windowpane wiper assembly and, more particularly, to a stowage system for concealing the rear windowpane wiper assembly when the latter is not in use.
The use of a rear windowpane wiper assembly in an automobile is now popular. For example, the Japanese Laid-open Utility Model Publication No. 59-31549, published Feb. 27, 1984, discloses the use of the rear windowpane wiper assembly installed adjacent either the lower edge or the upper edge of the rear windowpane for sweeping rain drops off the rear windowpane. According to this publication, the windowpane itself constitutes a rear hatch cover hingedly connected to a rear end portion of the automobile roof and, therefore, unique design has been made to enable the wiper blade and its associated link mechanism, where the rear windowpane wiper assembly is installed to the rear end of the automobile roof, to pivot in a direction conforming to the direction of pivot of the rear windowpane.
In any event, much design improvement has hitherto been made to render the front windshield wiper assemblies to be attractive in such a way as to conceal them within a space delimited between the lower edge of the front windshield and the hood and beneath the level of the hood when the front windshield wiper assemblies are not in use. However, when it comes to the rear windowpane wiper assembly, the use of which is now increasing in most automobiles, it is usual for the rear windowpane wiper assembly to be exposed to the outside at all times with no exception to the rear windowpane wiper assembly disclosed in the above mentioned publication. The rear windowpane wiper assembly exposed to the outside does not only provide an obstruction to the streamlined flow of air which often constitutes a cause of wind noise, but also affect the steerability of the automobile in view of the increased air resistance. Moreover, the exposure of the rear windowpane wiper assembly at all times adversely affects the appearance of the automobile body.
On the other hand, although it has no concern with the windowpane wiper assembly, the use of a rear spoiler is also increasing now such as disclosed in the Japanese Laid-open Utility Model Publication No. 59-182474 published Dec. 5, 1984. The rear spoiler is, as is well understood by those skilled in the art, used to decrease lift which would act on the rear portion of the automobile and to concentrate a downward force on the rear wheels through the rear portion thereof. The rear spoiler disclosed in this publication is generally in the form of a blade and supported for movement between folded and erected position.